Pictured are: Raheim Agard-Griffith (foreground), his father, Rondel Griffith (Left), ICBL’s Pamela Lowe (centre) and his mother, Ericka Agard.

Eleven-year-old Raheim Agard-Griffith is beaming with happiness today, knowing that he will finally get an upgrade from a manual wheelchair to a motorised version. This outcome was made possible with a recent donation from ICBL to him and his parents at ICBL’s Roebuck Street headquarters.

Raheim, a special scholarship student at St Luke’s Academy private school in St Peter and Deputy Head Boy, will take the eleven-plus examination in a few months and is looking forward to entering secondary school in September. The new motorised wheelchair will allow him to get around more efficiently as he enters this new phase in his educational life.

His father explained that Raheim was born with Spinal Bifida. His only challenge has been his inability to walk, and he has never allowed this to hinder anything he puts his mind to. He said he always performed well academically, is an excellent swimmer and is enrolled in swimming as a school activity. Raheim performed impressively with his fellow students at last year’s NIFCA Gala, singing a medley of Barbadian folk songs, having won gold in the competition.

In speaking to Raheim’s parents during the presentation of the funds, ICBL’s Assistant Vice President Life Operations, Pamela Lowe, said: “Raheim’s story is an inspiring one, and his attitude towards life, despite his physical challenges, shows how young people can achieve anything once they put their minds to it, with the right nurturing, which his parents are clearly providing. His energy, positive attitude, respect for others, and desire to live as normal life a life as possible, are lessons for all of us. ICBL is honoured to play a role in making his day-to-day activities easier for him at this stage of his life.”